Associations between erythropoietin polymorphisms and risk of diabetic microvascular complications

Abstract

// Hua Li 1, * , Huipu Xu 2, * , Yuerong Li 2 , Dongdong Zhao 2 and Baoxin Ma 2 1 Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong 256603, China 2 Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong 256603, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Baoxin Ma, email: sfdbh2006@sohu.com Keywords: erythropoietin; polymorphism; diabetic microvascular complication; systematic review; meta-analysis Received: May 27, 2017      Accepted: October 27, 2017      Published: November 27, 2017 ABSTRACT We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between erythropoietin (EPO) polymorphisms and diabetic microvascular complications. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Web of Science, Wanfang, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for appropriate studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the associations. Ultimately, eight studies consisting of 2,861 cases and 2,136 controls were identified and included in our meta-analysis. Results with our genotype model indicated an association between rs1617640 polymorphisms and diabetic microvascular complications (TT vs. GG: OR = 1.544, 95% CI = 1.089–2.189, P = 0.015). No clear associations between the rs1617640 and rs507392 polymorphisms and diabetic retinopathy were observed. By contrast, rs551238 polymorphisms were associated with increased diabetic retinopathy risk (allele model: OR = 0.774, 95% CI = 0.658–0.911, P = 0.002; genotype model: AC vs. CC: OR = 0.598, 95% CI = 0.402–0.890, P = 0.011; dominant model: OR = 0.561, 95% CI = 0.385–0.817, P = 0.003; recessive model: OR = 0.791, 95% CI = 0.643–0.973, P = 0.026). These results indicate that EPO polymorphisms are a risk factor for diabetic microvascular complications.